


Three's a Charm

by Thunderdaughter



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Childbirth, F/M, Growing Up At Hogwarts, Male Lactation, Triplets
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-02-22
Packaged: 2019-11-04 03:52:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17890985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thunderdaughter/pseuds/Thunderdaughter
Summary: Bits and pieces of the upbringing and adventures of the Longbottom triplets, Alice, Cedric, and Augusta, starting with their somewhat difficult arrival. Further episodes will follow them as they grow up at Hogwarts, the never-quite-spoiled but dearly-loved pets of the faculty and older students.





	Three's a Charm

Neville cradled his exhausted wife's head against his chest, their newborn daughter cuddled asleep, full-fed, in his other arm while their son, three hours younger, nursed enthusiastically at Hannah's breast, replenishing himself from the struggle of being born. _This ought to be the happiest moment of my life,_ he thought ruefully, and indeed it was, except...he looked over to where the Healers were bent over the third baby, the one who looked so very tiny and frail. _I didn't even know we were having a third baby. They told us they were twins...I didn't even know she existed until an hour or so ago. But if she dies, if my tiny little baby girl doesn't make it..._ his heart wrenched inside him, and he felt his eyes sting with tears. Ruthlessly, he suppressed them. _Got to stay strong for Hannah. She's been through so much, my poor love, and she's worked so hard today...she's got to be worn to the bone._

Tears were pouring down Hannah's pale, drawn face, but she lacked even the energy to brush them away. Neville took a soft cloth from the pile on a nearby table, and wiped her face gently, kissing the top of her head as he brushed the straggling locks of hair from her eyes. "It'll be all right, sweetheart. They've got her, they're taking care of her. You've done wonderfully, you have. Look at our beautiful children. You made these, Han. You're amazing."

"You did part of it." She looked up at him with a wan smile.

"Only the easy part. Look, he's got your eyes, I think."

"She's definitely got your nose, and the shape of your mouth. They're both so beautiful...but the little one, is she...?" Hannah looked up, her eyes pleading for answers he didn't have, not yet. 

One of the Healers came over to them, an encouraging smile on her face that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Have you picked names yet?"

"Well, we had names for the older two - we thought we were having twins. She's going to be Alice Pomona, and he's Cedric Francis. But I don't know about the little girl..." Neville's voice trailed off, uncertain.

"She's the one who needs a name most, and needs one as quickly as you can. Pick the strongest one you can find - the toughest, fiercest, most survivor-ish name you can think of. She's fighting hard but she's fading, and she needs all the strength she can get. And names are powerful - I've seen that trick work a hundred times, maybe a thousand, but you need to do it soon, please." Neville noted with dismay that her voice was trembling a bit. "Think of the toughest women you know. Give her a bit of their strength."

_The toughest women I know. Well, that's not hard..._ He looked at Hannah, and saw her come to the same conclusion. Her soft voice, worn from hours of labor, spoke at the same moment he did. "Augusta Minerva. Her name is Augusta Minerva." 

Everyone knew Headmistress McGonagall, or at least knew of her, but from the beaming look the Healer gave him, she was also well acquainted with his Gran. "Perfect." 

A thin cry went up from the corner, as if protesting or applauding the new name, and one of the Healers bent over the baby looked up, his face alight. "Sophie! She just took a breath! All by herself!" 

"See? It worked. She's going to be just fine, don't you worry. If you can spare me just a little vial of the milk that sweet boy's drinking down, we can replicate some for her. She'll be wanting food."

"That...won't be necessary." Neville took a deep breath. "Could you take Alice for a moment, and give me Augusta? I can feed her. I learned a charm from Ron - he used it when Rose and Hugo were tiny, to give Hermione a break at night. I was going to surprise you with it, love, but I think Augusta's going to need it sooner rather than later."

" _Mammaria_ ?" The Healer looked impressed. "Most men don't feel comfortable using that one."

"We've got triplets. If I don't, my wife's going to die of exhaustion. That outweighs discomfort any day. And it's not as if it's permanent."

"You're a good man, and a good father." She patted him on the shoulder, scooped up Alice, who stayed cozily asleep without seeming to notice the change, and went to fetch little Augusta. 

"What are you doing, Neville?" Hannah cocked her head at him, curiousity overwhelming exhaustion for a bit.

"Helping." He tapped his chest gently with his wand, whispering, " _Mammaria_ ." He was prepared for the oddness of the feeling, as the skin stretched and swelled - he'd practiced in secret all through Hannah's pregnancy. But her jaw dropped as she watched him sprout a fully-formed breast from one side of his chest, swollen with milk. "Don't worry, it won't last. But it'll stay long enough to give her a good feed, and I can do the other side when she's done with this one. You can't feed three all by yourself, darling, no one could ask that of you. If I help, though, we can get through this."

"And what are your students going to think?" A half-smile traced itself onto Hannah's face. "I know we've both got a solid bit of leave, given how desperate the magical population crisis is and how eager the Ministry is to get us all to have as many babies as we can, but you'll have to go back to class eventually, and I can't see you staying out of the greenhouses for long. What if Teddy catches you, or young James Potter?" 

"Then they can see that Professor Longbottom loves his wife and kids, and will do anything he can to keep them well and happy. No shame in that." 

He took Augusta carefully from the returning Healer's hands, a bit afraid of breaking her - she was so tiny that his hands felt huge. He touched the newly-sprouted breast gently against her cheek, and she turned her head eagerly and grabbed for the nipple. It hurt, like someone was shooting knives through his chest, but Ron had warned him about that, and he bore it gamely. _It'll get better as we go along, he said. I can do this. For Hannah and for my kids. My kids._ His heart felt as though a small star had landed inside it, filling it with warmth and brilliance, but all he said out loud was, "She's got a strong grip, anyway." 

"That's a good sign," the Healer nodded. "She's hungry, poor little mite. Give her all the milk she'll take."

"I will." He looked down at his little daughter, who was sucking in milk as though she expected the breast to vanish any second. _It'll last an hour, little one, you've got time. We've got time now, all five of us. And our family has a future. My daughters, and my son._


End file.
